Council OK’s 2012-13 budget, approves ordinances to fix gun statute violations
By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette
Wednesday, June 27, 2012 — The City of Bardstown’s 2012-13 budget received final approval Tuesday night by the Bardstown City Council preceded with a discussion of how the council can increase its awareness of issues that affect the city budget.
COUNCILMAN FRED HAGAN
At the June 12 meeting, several of the council members expressed their frustration over the limited time they had to discuss the budget, as well as examine parts in detail, including the hiring of a full-time warehouse person.
Councilman Fred Hagan said the discussion of the need for a warehouse employee would have been an ideal topic to come up at a committee meeting.
“I thought how nice it would have been to had that discussion in April at a Cable & Electric meeting, where the council could have gone out and looked at the area and had a discussion weeks ahead of when we had to vote on that,” Hagan said. “We have these committees in place and it would have been really nice to use that committee to discuss that.”
Councilman Tommy Reed agreed that the committee meetings should be set on a calendar as they once were. “For us to have input on the budget, we really need to know these things ahead of time,” he said.
Mayor Bill Sheckles agreed that making the committees more active would be helpful, and suggested the committee chairs take the lead and schedule meetings for at least every quarter.
COUNCILMAN FRANCIS LYDIAN
The council approved the 2012-13 budget with a 5-1 vote, with Councilman Bobby Simpson voting no.
ORDINANCE UPDATES. The council unanimously approved updates to ordinances that set the regulations at Sympson Lake and the Bardstown Cemetery. Both ordinances previously had wording that prohibited firearms of any type regardless if they were openly carried or concealed.
The provisions of both ordinances have long been in violation of existing state statutes. The passage this year of HB500 in the 2012 Geneeral Assembly added penalties to state statutes for local governments who willfully violate state law, and raised awareness about the issue.
Shelby County resident Stephen McBride brought these violations to the city’s attention, and made headlines when he entered a city council meeting last fall legally carrying a handgun in a holster. McBride complained that four city ordinances violated state law. The first two ordinances were changed earlier this year. McBride was on hand Tuesday evening to observe the approval on corrections to the final two ordinances.
MAYOR BILL SHECKLES
NEW UTILITY PAYMENT OPTION. Mike Abell, the city’s chief financial officer, told the council there is customer interest in paying utility bills by telephone. Current payment methods include mail, paying in person, and paying online by electronic check or credit card. Payment by phone would allow someone to pay and not require Internet access to do so. Abell said more than 1,000 customers pay their bills online. Customers who use the phone service will pay a $2 convenience fee. Abell said he would bring an ordinance back to a future council meeting to address adding the phone payment option.
HIGH SCHOOL ANNEXATIONS. The council unanimously approved annexation ordinances for Nelson County High School and Thomas Nelson High School. Employees of both schools will be subject to the city’s occupational tax. The school district had signed agreements to allow annexation in order to receive city utilities.
In other action, the council:
- approved the Development Review Board’s recommendation for the new Lincoln National Bank building that will be built at the corner of KY245 and Lincoln Way;
- approved the Historical Review Board recommendations
- appointed Tiger Huston to the Cable TV Programming Committee. Don Comer, a city resident who has been on the committee since its inception, has stepped down; and,
- approved a fireworks permit for the Bernheim Cheer Boosters fireworks booth at the Walmart parking lot.
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